For a good chunk of its history in the US market, Bourgogne Aligoté was thought of as the white wine you mixed with crème de cassis to make a kir. In spite of this, a handful of producers, including several big names, have remained faithful to Aligoté as serious white wine—devoting prime real estate to the grape and generally treating it with the same respect as Chardonnay.
Domaine Marc Colin is one such producer: Today’s affordable white is one of the great examples of Aligoté out there; when we rolled out the 2012 vintage of this wine two years ago, we said: “Ask any Master Sommelier about Aligoté, and you’re guaranteed to hear about one that blew his or her mind.” Well, add today’s 2015 to my own ‘mind-blown’ list. It’s everything I loved about the ’12, but in this exceptional vintage it has reached uncharted levels of complexity and concentration. This is masterfully crafted white Burgundy, sourced from naturally farmed, 70-year-old vines in Puligny Montrachet; there are few if any whites from the region, Chardonnay included, that can compete with it at this price. It is without a doubt one of the best white wine values you’ll see all year.
Although it’s actually a distant cousin of Chardonnay, Aligoté has traditionally been pigeonholed as a relatively neutral, quaffable, unimaginative white. In the right spots, however—and in the right hands—it’s capable of so much more. Grown in Burgundy since the 17th century, Aligoté gained appellation status in 1937, but it is most often relegated to less-desirable vineyard locations. Author Alice Feiring let Burgundy eminence Laurent Ponsot explain why in a recent article about the neglected grape: “In the past, Aligoté was planted at the top of Chambertin! It was half of Corton! Musigny Blanc was half Aligoté! After phylloxera, most replanted with easier-to-grow Chardonnay and put Aligoté on the other side of the road where no one ever planted anything but carrots and potatoes. This was the sad story of Aligoté.”
However, a few producers, including Domaine Marc Colin, kept at it, despite the finicky qualities of the grape: mature vines and low yields are needed, they are susceptible to rot and disease, it ripens far later than Chardonnay—who would even bother with such a troublemaker? Those who respect tradition and realize the grape’s incredible potential. To Marc Colin and his family, planting Aligoté in prime Beaune real estate was hardly a waste because it produces a wine of real breed, with mineral depth and aromatic complexity that rivals Chardonnay at a more affordable price.
The domaine was founded in 1970 by Marc Colin, from inherited land, including some parcels that have been in the family for more than a century. Marc has four children: Joseph, Caroline, Damien, and Pierre-Yves. Although Pierre-Yves and, most recently, Joseph have left to start independent projects, Caroline and Damien still maintain the high standard Marc set for the estate decades ago. While Caroline handles business operations, Damien is in charge of the vineyards, which have been farmed organically since 2006. Today’s Aligoté bottling comes from “La Combe,” a lieu-dit in Puligny-Montrachet which was planted by Damien’s grandfather in 1946. Vinification occurs in neutral barrels where the wine then ages on its lees for well over a year. The result is a vibrant, deeply flavorful white with the texture and aromatics of a village-level Puligny-Montrachet and the mineral verve of top Chablis.
In the glass, Marc Colin’s Aligoté shows a bright straw yellow core with flashes of green leading out to the rim. The nose, which could possibly be mistaken for a energetic Côte de Beaune or a Premier Cru Chablis sounds off with bright notes of green apple, Anjou pear, lime blossoms, white and yellow peach, salt-preserved lemon, ground hazelnuts, damp herbs, crushed chalk, stirred lees, and a mild touch of spice on the finish. This Aligoté unabashadley reveals a supple medium-body that is textured with sweet-kissed fruits and rich concentration. The ripeness of 2015 did not affect the freshness of this wine: it is brimming with energy and the crushed rock minerality moves in sync with a stone fruit and citrus-tinged finish. And to those wondering if this will age like its Chardonnay counterpart, the answer is a resounding yes: I’ve had 10, 20, and 30-year old Aligoté that was still performing. For those drinking now, decant for 30 minutes and serve in (none other than) large Burgundy stems around 55-60 degrees. Pair it with a nice piece of sole in lemon butter and celebrate your good fortune (and savvy shopping!). Cheers!
